Who were the big winners and losers from the Washington Commanders' victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the 2023 season?
All the history books will show that Week 1 of the 2023 season was a win for the Washington Commanders. But the Arizona Cardinals gave a tremendous account of themselves and looked for a long time as if they might spoil the party at FedEx Field before fading down the stretch.
Ron Rivera freely admitted a sense of relief to get over the line but acknowledged things have to improve quickly. This was a highly charged atmosphere emotionally - the first game under new ownership and raised expectations - so things should settle down once everyone becomes more comfortable with one another in the coming weeks.
A sterner test awaits the Commanders next Sunday at the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton lost his opening game at the Las Vegas Raiders, so he won't want to start his home slate with anything other than a victory in pursuit of avoiding further complications down the road.
Before we look ahead, here are five winners and losers from Washington's important win over the Cardinals.
Winner No. 1
Curtis Samuel - Commanders WR
It was an indifferent day overall on offense as Eric Bienieny works his way into a legitimate play-calling role for the first time. There were some positives to take from the game, with Curtis Samuel's usage catching the eye when his number was called.
As expected, Bienieny lined Samuel up all over the field. The former Ohio State star brought in all five of his targets for 54 yards to lead the Washington Commanders in receiving while also getting one carry out of the backfield that went for a further six yards.
These are modest numbers, of course. But the way Bieniemy deployed Samuel according to his strengths makes him a big winner if the same trend continues as the campaign progresses.
Loser No. 1
Antonio Gibson - Commanders RB
Hopes were high that Antonio Gibson could become an impactful player for the Washington Commanders under offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's guidance. Brian Robinson Jr. clearly evolved into the lead running back during the 2022 campaign, but his teammate's experience in the passing game is something that might be of use in third-down and other crucial situations.
This wasn't exactly the best start for Gibson all things considered. He did bring in his only target for 10 receiving yards, but a costly fumble coupled with nine rushing yards from three carries meant the former Memphis star was a hindrance rather than contributing anything positive.
Gibson is in the final year of his deal and considering how things are unfolding for running backs around the league who are looking for extensions, this was the worst possible start to the campaign. There is enough talent to turn his fortunes around, and it's also worth remembering that there is a lot of football left to play before the Washington Commanders come to an official decision over his future.
While Gibson will probably be relegated to a complimentary role, Bieniemy should have a few tricks up his sleeve moving forward. But make no mistake, things could get complicated for the player if ball security remains an issue.
Winner No. 2
Commanders DL
Just when it looked like things were getting away from the Washington Commanders, their defense stepped up. More specifically, the defensive line overall was completely dominant, overriding the opposition with relative comfort to turn the outcome on its head.
The front four were missing some key names, which only made their performance more impressive. Chase Young wasn't risked and might miss next weekend's game at the Denver Broncos for good measure, with Phidarian Mathis and Efe Obada currently on injured/reserve to further complicate matters.
That didn't matter to those who were active. They approached every down with brute force mixed with elite athleticism and ruthless conviction - something that resulted in a number of key plays to stop the Arizona Cardinals' momentum dead in their tracks.
Montez Sweat was an absolute revelation flying off the edge. Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne were their typically destructive selves on the interior, with Abdullah Anderson also coming up with some nice plays to maximize increased responsibilities.
Arizona's offensive line had no answer and rookie right tackle Paris Johnson Jr. looked like a rabbit in the headlights more often than not. This was the catalyst behind Washington's win beyond all doubt, but Ron Rivera doesn't want his team to be overreliant on the defense bailing them out for another campaign.
Loser No. 2
Commanders OL
This might be a little harsh considering how well the Washington Commanders started the game. However, their full body of work in Week 1 was not up to the required standard.
If the Commanders want to attain success from the current campaign, their protection has to do more than just flash moments of quality. They must dominate consistently, although full credit goes to the Arizona Cardinals front seven for performing far better than many originally anticipated.
Running lanes were hard to come by as the game wore on. Perhaps most concerning was second-year quarterback Sam Howell being sacked six times, which didn't sit right with offensive tackle Andrew Wylie based on his post-game comments via the team's website.
"You know, we take that very personally up front. Plain and simple, we've gotta do better. We've gotta lock down our assignments but it all starts tomorrow getting in that film room and figuring out what we need to do better and then game plan starts for week two. We take that very personally. We love keeping our guy clean. We didn't necessarily do our best job of that."Andrew Wylie via Commanders.com
There were enough impressive moments to suggest things could progress positively as the unit becomes more cohesive. But there are tricky tests upcoming for the Commanders, so time is of the essence.
Winner No. 3
Kamren Curl - Commanders S
The Washington Commanders haven't given Kamren Curl a long-term extension as yet. But judging by the safety's production in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, the price is only going to go up with every passing contest.
Curl was in midseason form to begin the campaign. He was around the football consistently, helping closer to the line of scrimmage on running downs and also providing a nice security blanket on the backend when the situation dictated in the passing game.
The former seventh-round selection out of Arkansas displayed the sort of work ethic and physicality fans have been accustomed to seeing over the last three years. If the Commanders were planning to adopt a wait-and-see approach regarding his new deal, those in power would be wise to alter their strategy.
There weren't many weak links in Jack Del Rio's defense at FedEx Field. Curl was among the better performers, finishing with 10 tackles, one pass defended, and one tackle for loss as a result of his outstanding efforts on the afternoon.
Curl's been the model professional throughout the summer despite vastly outperforming his rookie contract. If the Commanders had any sense whatsoever, getting him tied down long-term should be among the most pressing priorities.
Because as with the situation involving Montez Sweat, yesterday's price is not today's price.